A Rambling Romance
by anazelman
Summary: This is what happens when Shinji and a girl meet, become friends through a shared fondness of talking and expressing themselves through words, and eventually become something a little more. Shinji/OC.


Shinji and Haruka are both talkers, and the kind of rambling talkers that most people would rather not have to listen too. Because of this, one day, Akira drags a girl he knows of, that he's seen quietly ranting to her friends even after her friends have clearly stopped listening, to make some introductions. And of course, being herself, Haruka can't help but announce her thoughts as they walk.

"I don't understand why I had to meet you here after your practice. You know, I don't really know you all that well so I couldn't possibly accept any love confession you might be planning. If that's the case, I mean. I'd really appreciate it if you could understand my feeling here..." she says.

"Haruka-chan!" Akira interrupted, a little wounded from being rejected, even if it was by a girl he didn't like, like that, "Meet Ibu Shinji. Shinji, this is Haruka-chan. I though you guys might be able to talk to each other," he motioned between them.

Shinji and Haruka looked at each other and then at Akira, "Opposed to boring others with my rambling thoughts… it's an interesting idea but a little hurtful don't you think… I thought we were friends, friends should listen to each other…" Shinji started muttering quietly.

"Hey! I didn't say that!" Akira held his hands up defensively, "That's not what I meant…entirely…" he tries to redeem himself, it's a little true after all, but he does think they'd make good friends.

"My friends are the same, sometimes I think that they don't want to hear what I've got to say, I mean, sometimes I rattle on a bit but it's not like I say stupid things, and I always listen to them and when I really think about it it's good to say things otherwise it's all getting bottled up and then one day you just kind of explode and you say everything all at once. Really, I'm actually pretty quiet but I can't help myself sometimes…" the girl said.

"Yeah, I'm pretty quiet too… isn't it stressful when you haven't said what you need to after awhile… for me it gets really…" Shinji started muttering, like usual, as he and Haruka started walking off together, leaving Akira behind.

Akira stood there for a while trying to figure out what just happened. He hadn't expected it to be so easy. With a shrug and a quick, gentle, slapping of his cheeks to snap him out of it, he shook it off, "There is no rhythm there at all," he announced to himself casting a look over at the distancing pair before deciding he was kind of tired and ready to go home.

••••••••••

"Ne, Shinji-kun?"

"Ne, Haruka-chan?"

"Mm," they would nod in some strange agreement that make no sense and suddenly the conversation would stop dead and both would continue whatever they'd been doing without any further adieu.

It gave the other guys, and her friends headaches to have to listen to it for too long but they figured that now, at least, they didn't feel as though they were being rude by interrupting or blocking out the ramblings. They had each other to mutter at.

"Do you even hear what the other is saying when you guys do that?" Someone asks.

"Right? Sometimes I hear you both talking at the same time too, about 2 different things…" Another would comment.

Shinji and Haruka look at each other, vaguely confused by the idea of not listening to others when then speak, "Of course we do," they answer simultaneously.

••••••••••

In the beginning Shinji and Haruka only came together about once a week or so to cut loose and rant and mutter and talk to their hearts content, usually after one of Shinji's practices. Soon though, they could be seen together during most lunches talking together. From there it quickly escalated to most of their free time being spent together doing homework, walking home together, running errands together and of course always lots of talking.

Eventually the talking wasn't just long winded monolouging towards one another. They'd have normal, regular, day-to-day conversations that make sense to their friends and were easy and natural to follow along with. It became a close and understanding friendship. A thing they chose to do and enjoyed.

••••••••••

It happens during a simultaneous talk session when they accidently decide that, maybe, they ought to date. It'd make sense, they already like each other and know each other well, and both find each other pretty attractive.

So, it happens like this:

"Ne, Haruka-chan?"

"Ne, Shinji-kun?"

"Mm," they agree and stop dead. Surprised to say the least.

They look at each other critically deciding on exactly what to do about what they'd just impromptly decided amongst themselves. "Ne?" he asks, nervously and holds out his hand to her.

"Mm," she nodded and slips her hand into his. All set and talked out they continue their walk with little more than contented smiles and blushes to communicate between them.

Or at least that's as much as the bystanders have been about to piece together. The only people who really know what led up to their pairing up are the happy Haruka and Shinji themselves and nobody wants to risk asking for detail from those two.


End file.
